High School Counselor Week

Weekly stories, facts, trends, and other information from around the country

 

March 28, 2019

Big Picture

What If Elite Colleges Switched To A Lottery For Admissions?
NPR.org – Mar 27, 2019
For the second time in as many years, the nation is in the midst of a frenzy over who gets to sleep in the extra-long twin beds at a tiny fraction of highly selective colleges and universities.

What the Scammers Got Right About College Admissions
The Atlantic – Mar 21, 2019
Like most other college presidents, R. Gerald Turner, the head of Southern Methodist University, where my son is a student, sends correspondence only when something goes terribly wrong

Why Colleges Like Trump’s Campus Speech Order
New York Times – Mar 25, 2019
College presidents don’t want President Trump stepping into campus affairs and making threatening orders about speech — or so they say.

Trump calls for more economic outcomes data
Marketplace.org  – Mar 22, 2019
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for more protections of campus free speech and comprehensive publication of data about students’ post-graduation economic outcomes.
 

Columns and Blogs

A Few Reminders as College Decisions Come Out
Post – Mar 27, 2019
Counselors’ Corner with Patrick O’Connor Ph.D

Make the most of upcoming campus visits
Tribune News Service – Mar 26, 2019
College Admissions Strategies with Lee Bierer 

College Admission Scandal: Symptom of a Larger Problem
Post – Mar 20, 2019
The College Solution Blog with Lynn O’Shaughnessy

Independent Educational Consultants who are qualified, ethical and a credit to the profession
Post – Mar 27, 2019
The Explorations Blog with Nancy Griesemer

Counselors

As College Consulting Expands, Are High School Counselors Advocates or Adversaries?
New York Times – Mar 20, 2019
High school counselors are often students’ biggest advocates, whether guiding teenagers through depression or the stress of SAT tests and college essays.

As Schools Struggle To Meet Kids’ Emotional Needs, One Colorado School May Have A Fix
WBUR.org – Mar 22, 2019 (LISTEN)
School counselors are having a tough time keeping up with a wave of new struggles among teenagers in the U.S. More and more kids need to speak with a mental health counselor

“¡Pero qué escándalo!” A College Counselor’s Perspective on the College Admissions Scandal
ACCIS’s AdmitAll blog post – Mar 27, 2019
“What a scandal!” That’s all I heard from parents as the news of Operation Varsity Blues hit the airwaves. This was tabloid fodder at its strongest, wrapped in prestige, intelligentsia, and privilege. 

Parents

College Admissions, Youth Sports, and Parents’ Desire To Drive the Snowplow
Forbes -Mar 19, 2019
It’s taken me a while to get to the still-swirling college admissions scandal, in which, according to federal prosecutors, the rich and the famous — namely, people you would think wouldn’t have to do this

How To Raise Your Kids So That They Become Self-Sufficient Adults
HuffPost – Mar 22, 2019
The college admissions scandal highlights some very important truths about privilege, mental health and, of course, parenting.

Parents hiring consultants to help children with college admissions process
WPTV.com – Mar 22, 2019
The college admissions scandal making national headlines this month is on the mind of local parents who have students currently trying to get into college.

3 Ways Parents Can Help Their Kids Avoid a Post-Graduation Career Meltdown
Inc. Magazine – Mar 26, 2019
This is the time of year when I start to get emails and calls from parents who have kids graduating from college. They want tips on how to help their child land their first job. I usually get something like this… 

Video

How to stand out when applying to colleges: The search for “future trailblazers”
CBS News – Mar 22, 2019
In the current landscape of the competitive college admissions process, where the acceptance rates at many elite schools are in the single digits, how can a student stand out in the crowd?

Deciding/Waiting/Rejected

3 reasons to choose a college based on price
Seattle Times – Mar 21, 2019
Many prospective students choose a college for its location, its reputation or even its campus vibe. Here are three reasons to choose a college based on price.

What to Do When Your First-Choice College Doesn’t Work Out
TeenLife Blog – Mar 25, 2019
The college admissions offers have all arrived but, sadly, your student’s dream school was a no. Or perhaps, the first-choice school came through, but the financial aid didn’t.

The Right Way to Choose a College
Wall Street Journal – Mar 22, 2019
What students do at college matters much more than where they go. The key is engagement, inside the classroom and out.

Rejected by your dream college? Spoiler: There are other paths to success and happiness.
Chicago Tribune – Mar 21, 2019
Kelley Kitley grew up in Chicago yearning for a life on the stage, and spent years honing her talent through voice lessons, private coaching and loads of school and community productions.

The Wall of Rejection: Students combat the stress of college admissions
PalyVoice.com-Mar 25, 2019
Seniors have put a positive spin on an often disappointing piece of mail through the Wall of Rejection, an annual grade-wide Palo Alto High School tradition in which students voluntarily and publicly post their college rejection letters on campus.

WATCH: Penn Staters look back on their college decisions
The Daily Collegian Online – Mar 25, 2019
In a month, high school students across the country will be deciding what college they will be attending next year. We asked current Penn State students what they wish they knew before they were deciding and committing to college. 

Admissions Process & Strategy

How Admissions Really Work: If The College Admissions Scandal Shocked You, Read This
NPR.org – Mar 23, 2019
The fallout — and fascination — continue from the massive college admissions scandal. The University of Southern California has “placed holds on the accounts of students who may be associated with the alleged admissions scheme,”

College: How to get a ‘You’re Accepted’ letter (or email)
MyCentralJersey.com-Mar 22, 2019

If you are the first in your family to seek a college education, let them know. … and may consider financial need when deciding whether to admit an applicant.

In college admissions game, not all the rules are clear
The Daily Gazette-Mar 24, 2019

Students, guidance counselors, admissions representatives and a private admissions coach weigh in on scandal

Study: Public Universities Prioritize Out-of-State, Wealthy, White Students
US News & World Report – Mar 26, 2019
SOME PUBLIC universities disproportionately direct their recruiting efforts on out-of-state students from affluent, white communities and private schools,

2 Tips for Selecting High School Electives
US News & World Report – Mar 25, 2019
FOR MANY high school students, electives present an opportunity to pursue their unique passions, a direct contrast to required courses in core subjects like English, history, math and science.

Career & Technical Education

Giving America An Effective Workforce: Why Community College Matters
Forbes – Mar 21, 2019
This country’s near record low unemployment offers a welcome sign of economic health and the prospect of rising wages. Unfortunately, it also carries negative implications.

Why vocational education is critical for many young people
The Macomb Daily-Mar 20, 2019
In this high-tech era where a college degree is positioned as a necessity for success, vocational education is often overlooked. 

Financial Aid/Scholarships

How to Ask for More College Financial Aid
ConsumerReports.org-Mar 22, 2019
Your kid gets into the college of her dreams, but the financial aid package falls short of what you think you need to afford that school. Many families in this

What to Know About Applying for College Financial Aid
The Philadelphia Tribune-Mar 26, 2019
Completing it is the most important step to qualify for some of the $150 billion available in financial aid including grants, work-study, and federal student loans.

Why money gifts for college could hurt financial aid
NJ.com-Mar 25, 2019
Q. I am thinking of gifting some money to my niece and her husband who are deciding on a college for their son. Will any gift I make to them have an impact on their son’s financial aid possibilities?

 

Subscribe to our Weekly Emails

Teen Health

‘Am I depressed?’: How teens can find mental health help online
Mashable-Mar 23, 2019
Teens don’t need to read the headlines to know that they and too many of their peers are feeling lonely, sad, anxious, and suicidal. Recent headlines, however

An epidemic of teenage… loneliness
New York Post – Mar 26, 2019
Americans are lonelier than ever, and the crisis now impacts our children. The loneliness of older people, those in the twilight of their lives, has received a great deal of ­attention in the last few years.

SAT, ACT & AP

No one likes the SAT. It’s still the fairest thing about admissions.
Washington Post-Mar 22, 2019
The 33 hedge fund managers, Hollywood actresses, CEOs and other well-connected parents indicted this month didn’t just allegedly commit fraud or pay bribes to get their kids into elite schools.

Choosing an SAT Tutor: 7 Questions to Help You Find the Right Fit
TeenLife Blog – Mar 22, 2019
Testing season is upon us. As high school students begin to study for the SAT and ACT, many will turn to private test-prep tutors to help them tackle the test with confidence.

Disabilities

The Time Crunch on Standardized Tests Is Unnecessary
The Atlantic  – Mar 25, 2019
The allegedly fraudster parents in the cheating scandal exploited extra-time accommodations. Could slowing down tests for everyone make them fairer?

Common ADHD medications may increase risk of psychosis, study finds
NBC News – Today Show – Mar 21, 2019
Certain medications used to treat ADHD in teens and young adults may be more likely to cause symptoms such as paranoia, hallucinations, delusions and hearing voices, a new study suggests

Student Athletes

How Many Students Earn Athletic Scholarships?
WCCO | CBS Minnesota-Mar 21, 2019
Every year, colleges and universities give out more than $3 billion in athletic scholarships. But who gets them? How many students earn athletic scholarships? Good Question

The Amazing Admissions Advantages for Athletes at the Apex of Academia
Bloomberg-Mar 22, 2019
Who gets the biggest leg up in the U.S. higher education admissions race? Not minorities or legacies, but jocks.